Communication during emergencies can save you or your loved one’s life. Yet, have you considered what to do if phone lines are shut off? What would you do if there’s no Wi-Fi available? It doesn’t take much effort to think.
Yet, only few people have plans for emergency backup communications. There are inexpensive options that can help you connect to your community . And Baofeng UV-5R police scanner is an entry-level radio like handheld ham radio that every family can have due to its affordability.
What Is The Baofeng UV-5R?
The Baofeng UV-5R is a popular two-band radio worldwide. It’s inexpensive, feature-packed, and compact. Users who are new to portable programming, find it difficult to program, due to lack of Baofeng’s support and because of its poorly written user manual.
Fortunately, there are resources available from the active community of UV-5R enthusiasts. This includes a simple instruction manual and software application to help program it to your computer.
CHIRP software is used to program UV-5R, and it’s available online. CHIRP is a good solution for you, provided you have programming cable and time to input data in 128 channels manually.
1. How To Program Simplex Channel
For most users, you’ll want to program simplex channels for your radio.
While steps may be confusing for some, there are resources that help you. In fact, you may search through videos online for a structured and effective way to program the radio. By doing so, you’ll utilize radio channels and tune into your local police reports.
2. How Do I Switch Through Channels?
Switching through channels is easy!
To switch from channels, press the menu button. Up and down arrows to the right of it can be adjusted to find the desired channel. The channels that are programmed will have CH- next to the channel number.
If you’re trying to scan, press VFO/MR setting and press 7 to scan. The device changes its color to red and green light will flash to denote that it is scanning. To stop scanning, press VFO/MR setting, and the device will start to operate again.
3. How To Receive Transmissions?
With some research, you can find all Emergency frequencies that RACES and ARES groups are on and tune in. They are emergency associations that assist responders with boots on information on conditions affecting the area.
If you’re searching for “nets” in your vicinity, use a tool from AARL. It helps you connect to other stations faster.
UV-5R Accessories
Here are some accessories that help improve the police scanner’s efficiency.
While UV-5R has a belt clip included with the device, you can use a pouch to keep it protected. With a radio pouch, you can carry it in your pocket without worrying about falling off it.
While UV-5R has a belt clip included with the device, you can use a pouch to keep it protected. With a radio pouch, you can carry it in your pocket without worrying about falling off it.
A. Radio Pouch:
While UV-5R has a belt clip included with the device, you can use a pouch to keep it protected. With a radio pouch, you can carry it in your pocket without worrying about falling off it.
B. Baofeng Two Way Speaker:
The two-way radio is cheap and gives you the option to listen and talk on the radio without removing it from the belt clip or it accidentally falling out of pocket. You can attach it to a shirt with a clip that is attached to it.
C. How To View Frequencies:
There are some frequencies to help program the UV-5R. 146.520, and 446.000. There are simplex “calling” frequencies, which are monitored by local radio operators for simplex operation.
One conversation that starts on simplex frequency is moved up and down to another through frequency band as others call it. You need a license to help transmit those frequencies. Simplex frequencies receive and transmit better than MURS and FRS bands.
Baofeng UV – 5r is an analog radio. Most police, fire, and other first responders move to Digital Communications. Which UV – 5r cannot receive. Digital radios are capable of more secure communications, if public safety frequencies in your area are encrypted, you may not hear anything away.
D. Software:
Before programming your Baofeng, use CHIRP. It is available on Windows and LINUX and Mac OS, no matter what operating system you use, you are covered. Download the version that is needed and install it.
E. Programming Cable:
You need baofeng USB cable. Once you get your USB programming cable, you can install the right drives.It is a great idea to make a copy of the USB stick and other emergency documents.
How To Program Baofeng UV - 5R With Computer?
There are some helpful links or sources available from a global community of uv-5r enthusiasts, including easy to read and understand owners manual and excellent software application design to program uv-5r from the computer. This Programming software is called CHIRP, and it is freely available online.
How To Program Frequencies Into Channels On A Baofeng UV - 5R?
You can assign to channel 7 or any other channel your radio supports. Channel number doesn’t matter, frequency does matter.
It is not that type of radio. Before you use your Baofeng, you must first find out what frequency is programmed to channel 7 for others in your group and program channel in your radio to the same frequency.
The channels on this radio need to be programmed to specific frequencies used by others in the group before you can communicate with them. It is not pre-programmed to assign channels like an FRS or GMRS or CB radio.
How To Program Baofeng UV - 5R With Chirp?
But if you are on the road or on the field and don’t have a computer handy? What if you need to add in frequency or programmer channel on the fly? Chirp is a solution to this.
Chirp is the solution, provided you have a computer, easy to install programming cable, and time to input all data for 128 channels.